Differences in Smartphone Overdependence by Type of Smartphone Usage: Decision Tree Analysis

Abstract

AbstractSmartphone technology has grown and spread rapidly to exceed other simpler means of communication and become an essential aspect of people’s daily lives. Whilst smartphones offer various services to consumer life, excessive use can increase their perceived significance, diminish control over their use, and increase experience of problems related to their use. In this study, we used decision tree analysis techniques to reveal which variables of smartphone usage type are important in determining overdependence. We also examined how smartphone overdependence differs according to use through cluster analysis. According to the analysis, watching the news, searching for academic/business purposes, searching for traffic and location information, web surfing, gaming, movies/TV/video, music, radio/podcasts, e-books/web novels, e-mail, messenger, selling goods/services, and financial activities were all important variables that affect smartphone overdependence. As a result of cluster analysis, smartphone usage types were classified into a total of four clusters, each demonstrating a statistically significant difference overdependence. This study is significant in providing basic data for research related to smartphone overdependence by combining machine learning and statistical techniques.KeywordsSmartphone overdependenceDecision treeSmartphone usage typeCluster analysis